“I just have to do what I can”, said Marg, 3rd October, 2024
Media Release, October 4, 2024
Two women were arrested yesterday for trying to protect the homes of Greater Gliders and Koalas in Bulga State Forest. Logging was unable to proceed for most of the day because one of the women had attached herself to the massive machine called a ‘harvester’.
Marg Maclean said, “I have to do what I can while I can. I feel sick seeing the damage those monstrous machines do in a day. They are eating the forest and all the creatures who live in it, alive.” Marg was issued a court attendance notice the day before for locking onto the gate.
Sharyn O’Dell had not intended to be arrested. “I stood in solidarity with my friend, as she was alone with the logging crews. I know they are feeling frustrated about not being able to work and I sincerely hope that governments start working out a transition plan for these workers,” she said, “because the native forest logging industry has no future.”
Fiona Lee, a spokesperson for Save Bulga Forest said “Commercial whaling stopped in Australia in 1978 and in 1979 Australia adopted an anti-whaling policy, permanently ending whaling in Australian waters. 46 years later, we need to stop the commercial logging of our forests, and permanently protect them from further destruction. New Zealand did it in 2002.
“The logging of our publicly owned state forests costs the NSW taxpayer more than $1280 for every hectare logged. As well we lose the habitat of the animals that live there, we lose opportunities for future tourism revenue and we lose the water that older forests sequester and release as well as the carbon locked up in the trees and the soil.
“Logging is a lose, lose, lose, lose scenario. I’ve got a young child, I want her to feel hope about the future. I want decision makers to act to give kids like her hope. How can we feel hopeful when we can’t even save koalas’ homes?” Ms Lee asked.
The two women were taken to Taree Police Station, processed and released on bail at 9pm. They will face court at the end of the month.